Track gauge and level-indicating device



Sept. 14 1926.

` `J. P'IERSAUL TRACK GAUGE AND. LEVEL NDLCATING DEVICE 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1l www EN ww Sept. 14 1926.

- J. PIERsAuL.

TRACK GAUGE .AND LEVEL IND1GAT1NG DEVICE Fi1ed Mafv 11, 1925 Esheets-sheet 2 jwvE/v Tof?. E 00.95F# Plans/WL.

5y #is firm/msm.

Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

JOSEPHAPIERSAUL, OF CIzICAG,iILLINOIS.

Application 'i filed'l/Iay v 11, 1925. J: S eria1l\To.v 293371.

This .invention v"relates i to as gauging Vand level indicating `gdevice; for tracks such .as a railway track. Such "tracks when .con` .structedi niustrihave the rails thereof gauged accurately y asf tot the distance loetween `the sametandkit .isi-.also necessaryi to have the track level for conforming to the surveyed grade. VfItshasfloeenzia commonpractice in Jlayingftrack:tohavefzabar gauge for locating'thegrails: the correct distance apart, ywhich-gangecwas Vprovidedwithra level in- 'dicatingfidevice "Such a'ldevice only vgaugcd andindicatedqthe `levelof the-,trackat one 'pointy andavould vhaveto loe applied at v'short intervals.

Itis: an oloject:4 ofzthis s inventionto provide agauge: and. level-indicating device s comprisingiaa frame i f considerable' length, which frame .nis iaccurat'ely zmounted i upon trucks spaced quiteza. distance apartwherehy a long section.'ofgtrack.y can he gaugedand the level thereof indicated without movement. of the device.

S'Itl iszfa further object ofrthe invention to have `:the said frame Vcomprise spaced longitudinaly 'si de `members;` provided i Vwith' level indicating devices andalso havingftransverse members provided with level indicating devices.V

ltiisanother object of the invention to providejsuch a frame having at its front end depending track gaugingrdevices#for prop* erlv `spacing the rrails.

fltiis stillzanother object of the @invention to: also provide said: frame at `its rearV end Iwith a pair `of rail gauging members. Y 'Itfisalso an object of` the invention= to Vprovide a-frame, :as `setforth above, with a pair of members depending from the central portionr thereof for `gauging the height of the rails. i

Among other objects ofthe inventionl are thefprovision offdraftmeans for the device and the provision `of a locking mechanism for `one of the trucks to hold fthe device stavtionary on a grade. y y

@ther objects, and advantages of the invention l-willobefully set forth in the fol lowing description madein 'connection with the accompanying drawings inwhichlike reference characters refer tothe same parts throughout the dierentzvicws: and .in which,

`Eiga-Iris fa-viewwin side elevation `of `the .deviicewshowingi the same onfasection of `a -fportion'heing omitted; o

. Fig is af'central verticalsection,taken .onf the line-of Fig. 1;

Y Fig. 14-is a verticalsection taken on .line'4`14 of Fig; l; p i

F ig. isaa-view -on an enlarged scale of one ofthe level indicati-ngdevices.

eferring to the drawings7 in :'Fig. l is shown a section of 'the trackcomprisiug rails-mounted: oncross tiesr c. -Thesdevice yof the invention comprisesla pair` of spaced trncksilfeach Ishown as having two thef-devicefa small vpairsof w'heelsfQ-i said .wheelsbeing of the flange type-and. runningon the rails b. The :trucks laare gprovidedwith :bearings for receiving fthe axles-.Bi-.of said Atrucks. Said trucks have hars-la..vf extending .between the the y hearings thereof .andformi-ng the wbolster v of? 'the truck. lng 1F; projects centrallyT .at the top-of thefhars 1a1andsaid1lug is provided w-ith passage or bore extending transversely-.of 'the truck'parallel "with `the axis adaptedV to receive a rod 4 which is 'slidable y therein. Said ^rodr 4 is provi-'ded'- with af flat portion-atea'ch endgwith verticalr apertures extending therethrough and the` track gaugingdevicespr hars lzhave threaded upper. ends :extendingthrough i said apertures, .said ends loeing.A provided with nuts -13a carried on topof 'har 4 so that themem hers 13 dependhloosely from the vbars 4. `The lower enfls ofthe hars'l are widened and provi-ded with` convex Vouterv sides adapted to engage the `heads .of the rails The bars 13 are. rigidly. connected somewhat adjacent theirlower. ends by-a rod'14. .This rod is connectedaby links. 16 Vto one vof the axles 3,

saidlinks-having huhs at each end emhrac- Aframes 9 which together with the krated endsy adapted to similar circular bearing or balancing plates 6 formed with lower bearing Jfinished surfaces and which form the central portions of cross members 6 which cross members are bolted at their outer end to longitudinal side members 8 of angular shape in cross section. These side members 8 are connected by end cross members 6 form a rigid rectangular frame. IThe bearing member 6 are also provided with central hubs in which are secured pins 10 which depend therefrom and are received and fitted into the apertures in the hubs of bearing plates 5. The longitudinal members 8 are provided at spaced points somewhat adjacent their ends with level indicating devices 11 shown as being of tube type havin a liquid and bubble therein. These devices are surrounded by graduated plates, as shown in Fig. 5. The inner sides of the members 8 are notched at intervals to form seats for removable transverse plate-like bars 12 which also are provided adjacent their central portions with level indicating devices 11.

A coupling member 17 is provided which is in the shape of a. fork having fiat perfobe received between the apertured portions of the forks formed on sleeves 18 secured to the front axle S of the front trucks. Y This coupling device will be coupled to the forks on the sleeves 18 by suitable vertically disposed pins and the same is provided at its front ends with a slot 17a adapted to receive a coupling pin for connecting the same to the traction means. Members 18 are held from longitudinal movement on the axle by suitable collars 18a secured to one of the same.

rl`he front axle ofV the rear truck is provided with a sleeve 19 having a project- 'ing 'fork and held in place by a suitable collar secured to said axle. A link 2() extends toward the rear axle and is formed with a head having a laterally projecting` pin 21. A sleeve 23vis secured to the rear axle 3 of the truck and has a projecting lug apertured to receive the pin 22. A lock member 24 comprising a circular disc having a plurality of circumferentially arranged holes therein is rigidly secured to the rear axle. When it is desired to apply theA lock, the link 20 will be swung so that the pin 2Q. can be disengaged from the lug of sleeve 23 and engage with one of the holes in the disc 211. The rear axle will thus be positively locked` rIhe members 8 have secured to their undersides substantially midway of their length, brackets 30 substantially of U-shape having spaced ribs at their lower portions between which projects an eyebolt 81 havingv a threaded end projecting through a plate 32 disposed at the inner side of the bearing 30 and clamped thereto by a nut 233 disposed onv said threaded end.

The eye bolt 31 lits around a sleeve or tube 3l extending through apertures in said spaced webs of bearing 30 and extending upwardly through an opening in the central plate or bar 12, said sleevev having an enlarged portion Sel above said bar 12. A rod extends through the tube 34 and has a head formed in its upper end below which projects a plate or flag-like member 36 movable in a slot in the inner side of the porion 31a. The plate 36 has graduations 36 formed thereon adjacent the rod 35. The rod is bent outwardly substantially at a right angle at Vits lower end and carries a comparatively long sleeve 37 thereon held in place with a nut 38 threaded onto the end of the rod 35. As clearly shown in l there is one of the rods 35, and parts associated therewith, at each side of the frame.

The device above described can be readily transported to the desired position on 'he track by attachment of the member 17 and the coupling` thereof to a hand-car or other .iovable traction means. yllhe member 17 is only used for such transportation of the device. T he device can be used to gauge and level old or newly laid track. In practice. the device will be twelve to twenty feet in length and will be made of strong and rigid construction and yet of such material that the weight thereof will be comparatively small. The device will be lmoved along at intervals and twelve to twenty feet of track will be gauged andA leveled at each setting hereof. The members 13 will be the proper distance apart to accurately gauge the rails, these members being mounted at the longitudinal center of the truck, and being mounted on Vrod 4 which rotates with the trucks, will thus always be at the same angle of the truck so that the rails will be properly gauged on a curve. rllhe members 13 can be moved laterally some distance by, sliding movement of rod l but are always held rigidly spaced at the proper gauging dis-- tance by the rod 1l. The rod 14 will also be moved with the trucks j when in rotative movement by the links 16. The rails will be set to properly engage the members 13 and the track will thus be accurately positioned. -The members Si 'will ride along on top of the rails and are made long so as to accommodate the lateral movement thereof due to the device being` on a curved track. Any hump or short irregularity in the rails will be indicated by the members 87 being` raised and raising rods 35. `The plates will thus be raised and the amounts thereof can be judged from the graduations SW. Normally, the center of the plates 8G vertically will be substantially at the top of the tube portions YTfhe level indicating devices on the members 8 can be easily and quickly read and llO ing out the objects above the track adjusted until "the ksaine indicate The graduated furnished with the levelling devices that the track is level. plates can also be used to indicate the desired grade on which the track is to be laid. The level indicating devicesl on the transverse members willi indicate when the tops of the rails are in the same plane or when the saine are in a plane disposed at the desired inclination.

llllhen moving on a grade, the lock mechanism described is applied to hold the device stationary. Tilhen moving on a level or substantially level piece of track, no such application is necessary. The frame coinprising members 7, 8 and 9 can be readily removed from the trucks and quickly replaced tliereon. 'lhe nished bearing surfaces on the members 5 and 6 give a very accnrate support for this frame. When the device is stored or not in use, the members l2 with the level indicating devices ll can be removed and safely disposed to prevent injury to said level indicating devices.,

in practice, the top of the frame will be substantially three feet from the top of the ties so that the one directing operations on the track can readily read the indicating` devices thereon without objectionable stooping. As stated, the device will be set in one position and the track brought to the desired position, as indicated by the levelling devices. rEhe device will then be moved to the next position and a long section of track will thus be operated on at each setting. The device will be of such light construction that it can be easily moved by hand and yet will be properly rigid. l/Vith the use of such a device, a large amount of track may be laid or operated on in a short time and much less labor will be required than with the devices heretofore used. lt will also be noted that no parts of the device project any substantial distance outside ot the rails and there will thus be no interference with any iilling or grading operations for the tra-ck.

lt will, of course, be understood, that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of applicantls invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carryset forth, in the novel partsV and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

l/'Vhat is claimed is:

l. A track gauging and leveling device having in combination, spaced trucks having rigid frames having bearings directly journaled on the axles of said trucks each frame having a central annular balancing plate at its top vertically rigid in relation to said axle, a frame comprising spaced side longitudinal members extending between and beyond said trucks and' spaced' transverse members connecting said lcngitrdinal members therewith adapted torest upon said first mentioned balancing plate, dependingflaterally swings-.ble bars spaced in rigid relation having lower outer` railengaging surfaces depending at each side of each truck and at the longitudinal center thereof, and supporting means for said bars carded on said truck and adapted to turn therewith.

2. The structure set forth in claim l, said last mentioned means each comprising a rod movable transversely in said trucks.

3. A track gauging and levelling device comprising spaced trucks, transverse members firmly .supported thereon and4 fixed against vertical movement, a frame firmly supported upon said members extending between and beyond the saine and having longitudinal spaced side members, a track gauging device adjacent each end of said frame comprising bars depending respectively from said trucks having widened lower portions with convex surfaces at their outer sides adapted to engage the inside or the rails, the bars on each truck having rigid connecting means intermediate their ends holding them in fixed spaced relation, a mem'- ber niovably connected to the upper ends of the bars and slidable transversely on said truck and adapted to turn therewith. 4. A rail gauging and leveling device liaving in each having spaced wheel-equipped axles, a frame comprising spaced rigidly Vconnected. longitudinally extending side members firmly supported upon said axles to prevent movement in a vertical direction, spaced level indicating devices upon said side niembers and depending spaced rigidly connected rail engaging devices depending, from said tracks at the longitudinal center thereof.

5. A track gauging and leveling device comprising longitudinally spaced trucks adapted to be supported on a track and hav ing bearing plates firmly supported thereon, a rigid frame comprising spaced nal members extending between and above said trucks and carrying bearing plates adjacent each end thereof supported on and swivelly connected to said bearing plates on said trucks, a member carried at the longitudinal center of each truck and movable transversely thereof and adapted to turn therewith, a track hung on and depending from each end said member.

6. A track level indicating device comprising a pair of spaced trucks having wheel carrying axles and transverse holsters firmly supported upon said axles, circular bearing plates formed at the centers of'said holsters, a frame having spaced transverse members with similar bearing plates adapted to enand carrying balancing plates rigidcombination, a pair of spaced trucks,`

longitudigaugingV device loosely` end members having level indicating devices thereon and spaced firmly connected track engaging members depending respectively 10 at eaeh side of each truck and attlie longitudinal center thereof.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

JOSEPH P IEBSAUL. 

